Jahmene Douglas breaks down in tears after heartrending performance…days after he opened up about his abusive father

Emotional Jahmene Douglas breaks down in tears after heart-wrenching X Factor performance following revelations about his abusive father

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UPDATED:

00:08 GMT, 21 October 2012

Jahmene Douglas broke down in tears on The X Factor after a heart rending performance of I Say A Little Prayer.

The softly spoken star has admitted he has had a difficult week after a story broke out about his abusive father.

But he put on a brave face to perform the Dionne Warwick classic on Saturday night's show.

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Sobbing: Jahmene Douglas broke down in tears on Saturday night's X Factor after a heart rending performance of I Say A Little Prayer

Afterwards however, he struggled to hold back the tears and eventually began sobbing.

Following his heart-wrenching performance, Louis Walsh said: 'The little man with the big voice. you have so much soul and potential. you are amazing.'

Tulisa Contostavlos said: 'You are just absolutely adorable. All I can do is sit here and say to you each week is how amazing you are. I believe in fate very much and your whole life has been building up to this moment, and this is all happening for a reason.'

Tough week: His on stage breakdown comes after he recently opened up about his abusive father

Overcome: Jahmene told the judges: 'I just want to say thank you'

Singing his heart out: He wowed the judges with his rendition of the Dionne Warwick classic

Gary Barlow said: 'Congratulations on another stunning performance – your voice is something else. I don't think you need to move around the stage – you are all right to stand there and sing – your voice is incredible. I'm just trying to give you an honest critique.'

And Nicole Scherzinger concluded: 'You're 22 and you have survived through so much and you are so brave and you have bigger balls than anyone i know. I love you and I'm so proud of you. You are here for a reason – for great purpose.'

A clearly emotional Jahmene struggled to contain his tears as he told the judges: 'I just want to say thank you.'

He said: 'Last weekend there was a personal story about my father and his past – I wasn't going to tell anyone. I guess it's a good thing that it's come out because people can see that's the way I am and that's the reason I laugh after everything I say because if I don't laugh then I'll break down.'

Talking about how music had helped him through the difficult times, Jahmene said: 'When I was locked into the house – I used to listen to Whitney Houston and sing along – that was my sanctuary. All my life all I have wanted to do is make my mum happy – because she has been through more than any woman should bear.'

Kindly mentor: Nicole Scherzinger said she was so proud of him

The singer recently opened up about his deranged father putting his family through hell and how his mother was almost killed with a blowtorch.

Speaking to the Sun newspaper Jahmene said: 'Every day I thought, “I’m going to die today”.'

Jahmene told the newspaper: 'Once, because I bit my nails, he put a knife under my nail until it started bleeding. Another time he stopped me from eating for two days. I was about seven or eight.'

Eustace Douglas is now in prison, but he controlled the family with such a maniacal grip that they eventually had to change their names in a bid to escape him.